In just over ten minutes, almost everyone in the mall had been herded down to the main lobby on the first floor by the armed men in black.
"Hahaha! Look at them! Even rich people panic like monkeys when death stares them in the face!"
From the second floor, the masked leader leaned over the railing, laughing at the crowd squeezed desperately together. He even waved to his men to enjoy the sight with him.
Yet no matter how he mocked, the people kept pressing inward. Not a single person dared stand near the gunmen at the periphery.
Mukuro and the boy with bangs were buried deep in the sea of people, their figures hidden from outside view.
"Hey, you with weird bangs, what's your name?" Mukuro asked, though he already had a guess. His arms spread slightly like two walls, shielding them both and keeping the panicked crowd from shoving too close.
"You're the one with weird bangs! My name is Suguru Geto," the boy shot back, flicking the stray lock from his forehead. He didn't notice how strangely calm the air felt where they stood.
"I'm Mukuro Zenin," Mukuro introduced.
Two prodigies, different in every way, met for the first time in the middle of a crisis.
"You don't seem afraid at all? Wait… could it be…?" Suguru glanced around, his tone picking up a trace of excitement. He'd wanted to protect everyone, but there were too many enemies. Even if he fought, he couldn't guarantee the safety of the hostages. But if there was another sorcerer here… the outcome might change.
"Call me big brother, and I'll help you. I can wipe out this whole pack of monkeys by myself," Mukuro said, as if tempting a child with candy.
"What? You—"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suguru was about to snap back when another round of gunfire cut him off.
"Hand over everything valuable! Don't even think of being clever!" the robbers barked, firing into the air before shoving their burlap sacks toward the crowd.
They had already looted everything easy to take from the shops. Now all that remained was the money and belongings on the hostages themselves.
The frightened crowd, still pressing inward, nearly collapsed in panic, desperate to get away.
"Calm down! I told you we only want money. But if you don't cooperate, you'll force us to take lives." The masked leader's voice carried a strange warmth, as though he were negotiating rather than threatening. If not for his words, he could have passed for kind.
"I'll give it, I'll give it!"
Those at the edges, knowing there was no escape, stumbled forward. They emptied their pockets into the sacks, even turning them inside out to show they weren't hiding anything.
Every last yen was taken, cards swiped through portable machines until nothing remained. They were drained completely.
"Those who handed everything over, move over there!" the gunmen ordered, dividing the crowd into two groups.
Nobody knew why, but faced with the barrels of guns, they didn't dare resist. They followed instructions quietly.
"Boss! The cops are here!" The men stationed at the entrance shouted toward their leader, their voices brimming with excitement rather than fear.
"Robbers inside, listen up! You're surrounded. You can't escape! Surrender now and you may receive leniency!" a police loudspeaker boomed from outside.
"They're here… the police are here…" Some men and women in the crowd murmured to themselves as if clinging to a lifeline. Hope flickered in their faces.
Suguru held back the urge to strike right away and muttered, "The situation's changed. Maybe we should wait, see what the police do."
"Do as you like." Mukuro shrugged. He didn't care. If things could be solved without him making a move, all the better.
Bang!
The leader suddenly leapt from the second floor. Tiles shattered beneath his landing, yet he was completely unharmed.
"Cut the nonsense! There are plenty of rich people here. If I start shooting, you'll all be finished!"
He commanded his men to open the doors, then stood there arrogantly, using his megaphone to reply to the police outside.
"What do you want?"
"Three helicopters within half an hour. And every cop must pull back at least five hundred meters! I'll show you my sincerity first."
The exchange ended quickly, and the leader returned inside.
"Those who already handed over their valuables can leave now." He glanced at the group separated previously, jerking his chin toward the exit.
"R-really?"
No one moved right away. Their yearning to survive burned bright, but fear kept them frozen. What if this was just a cruel trick, a path straight to death?
A neatly dressed middle-aged man trembled, his voice thin as he asked.
"I'm not negotiating with you." The leader raised his gun, pointing it at him, then waved toward the door.
"O-okay…"
The man staggered forward. Step by step he made his way out, and the others followed, shaking as they went.
"Not sure what your ability is, but if they act, you'll have to back me up. That guy in charge doesn't look simple," Suguru whispered while the two quietly pushed through the crowd to a better spot, eyes scanning their surroundings.
"You still haven't called me big brother. Why should I help you if you're just a stranger? But if you're my underling… that's different."
Even now, Mukuro found time to tease him.
To everyone's surprise, the robbers didn't harm the ones leaving. They were allowed to walk into the police's safety net.
"We'll also hand ours over!"
Seeing this, those who had been fighting to stay hidden rushed to give up their belongings, fumbling nervously to hand everything over before lining up quietly.
"I never said you could leave too. If everyone goes, where would my hostages be? Blame yourselves for not being eager enough earlier." The leader leisurely lit a cigar, blowing out thick smoke like he was mocking their foolishness.
Realizing they couldn't escape, the crowd's pace slowed, but eventually it was Mukuro and Suguru's turn.
"I don't have money."
The latter obediently dropped his two thousand yen into the bag, but Mukuro turned his pockets inside out, showing nothing but emptiness.
"No wonder this is Tokyo's busiest district. Even broke brats wander in to stir things up."
The robbers didn't pay them much attention. Judging by their ragged looks and lack of adults nearby, they dismissed them as poor kids and waved them aside.
"Wait… what if I report something? Will you let me go? I want to report!"
A voice broke out from the crowd. A man with glasses raised his hand slightly to his chest, speaking in a low tone. Sweat streamed down his forehead.
"Hmm? Go on." The leader's interest was piqued. He strode over in a few steps, gesturing for the man to continue.
"You're here for money, right? That kid… that kid is loaded!" His voice shook as he pointed at Mukuro, panting heavily, fingers trembling.
"I saw it with my own eyes! He had at least ten bills of ten thousand yen on him! He must have hidden them! No ordinary kid would carry that much cash!"
"Oh?"
Every gaze, including the leader's, shifted to Mukuro.
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